Golf ball teeing apparatus



l kGOLF BALLV TEEING APPARATUS y n v .filed March 22, 1952. v n n. 52 Sheltfs sherefg1l ,3z/- .E y JOHN MCGRAW) 5R.

June 21, 1955 J.-w, McGRAw,`sR 2,711,321

GOLF BALL `TEEING APPARATUS File@ Maron 2 2-, 1952 a sheets-sheet 2 Unite-d StaSPaterit-C d 2,111,321 GOLF BALL TEEING APPARATUS John W. McGraw, sr., Mehlvine, M0. Application March 22, 1952, Serial No. 277,953

` 2 claims. r(c1.273 '201) The present invention relates to apparatus vdesigned primarily, though not exclusively, for installation outdoors, particularly on a iield adapted for practicing the game of golf.

The playing of golf is'becorning increasingly popular, and` practice fields, courts, and so on, outdoor as well as indoor, are found in most of the large cities of the land.

The most popular of these as a general rule, are the outdoor driving courses, patronized by the novice as well as theV golf addict, and the instantk invention iS directed to an improved apparatus for mechanically teeing successively, a quantity of golf balls each to be be driven into space.

I am aware that heretofore numerous devicesand mechanisms for teeing golf balls have been designed and are in use, many of them patented. However, most of them are too complicated, or `too-prone to get out of.

order, and are furthermore not equipped with an efficient ball feeding device.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro? vide a simple apparatus designed to overcome the disadvantages inherent in p riorart devices.,

Further objects of my invention vincludethe provisionV of a ball supply unit removably connected withV a vball teeing unit; means for suporting the supply unit above ground level; means for enclosing the teeing unit below` ground level; means for delivering one ball at a time from said supply unit to said teeing unit; and pedal operable means for teeingindividual balls at will.

Other objects, features and advantages'of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description thereof to follow, reference being had also to the accompanying drawings wherein the preferred embodimentthereof is illustrated.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of an installation incorporating the apparatus comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately along the line 2 2 of Fig.Y l;

Fig. 3 is a similarview on an enlarged scale, taken approximately along the .line 3 3 of Fig. l, illustrating the operating elements in normal position;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, illustrating said elements in an alternate position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 5 5 of Fig. l, a golf ball appearing in Fig. 1, being omitted;

Fig. 6 s an enlarged horizontal sectional view takenl on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a central sectional view of a vertically adjustable tee assembly;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional the line 8 8 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a similar view taken approximately on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprising the instant invention is designated as a whole, by the numeral view taken on ice ' portion of the feeding unit 14 is disposed above, whereas an'inclined bottom wall'32; and a tubular chute por'- I Vtion 34.` v` i the major portion of the teeing unit 16 is disposed below, the ground level designated 18. f i Withparticular reference nowto Figs. l, 8` and 9, the

unit 14 includes an `upper hopper portion 20 having K vertical end'wallsl`22 and flared side Walls724; a depending containerportion 26 having vertical end walls 28 which' form continuations `of thewalls 22, yvertical side w lls 30 "which form continuationsof the walls 24, and

'. The container portionL 26 Vis'subdivided into compart-V ments .by `a pair of partitions, y eachoflwhich extends V between the` side walls 30, as shownA in Fig. 9.' Thek first or upperY partition 36, as Viewedv also inFig. '8,

extends to the" left fromright endfwall 28;i n a downwardly inclined plane, and the second or lower partition 38 extends V to `the right from left end wall28, also in a'fdownwardly inclined plane.

i Numeral '40 designates :a conventional Ygolf ball, a

plurality of them beingdeflned by broken lines. Partitionf36 terminates short of left end wall 28 Vtoy provide an' opening 42 considerably larger than a Agolf ball, but notlarge enough to allow more'than one ball ata time to passytherethrough. VPartition-38 terminates short of right end wall 28 to provide an opening 44 only slightly larger than a golfball. The chute `34 includes al vertical portion 46 which merges into an yarcuate' portion` 48, the-latter yterminatingl in a downwardly inclinedv vportion 50. The internal diameter of said chute is slightly larger than that of a golf ball, and the vertical'portion 46 thereof is connected into the lower left hand corner of container 26,

as shown.

`rails V'72 and 74 respectively,

Y As -best seen in Figs.k Zand 9, suitable brackets 52 'Y are rigidly secured'to the-v side walls 24 of `the hopper forA the reception of the flared upper end's'54 of rods 56, wherebyv to support the unit 14, as willV appear. Openings 58 are preferably provided in the bottom wall 32 and portion 50 for draining off rain water or other moisture.

The teeing unit 60, preferably of atthe top. The bottom wall 59 of thecasing 60 is 62 for 'draining olf wall 64 of said casingis cutout as at. to appear.

All of the mechanism included in unit 16 is mounted on,-andoperative1y supported by a rectangular metal framegenerally designated 68, and including four verticaly corner angle bars 70, upper and lower connecting a -`t op plate 76, one or more transverse reinforcing bars 78, and a transverse rein-V forcing bar 8i), thee'latter serving la further purpose, as

All of these, framemembers are securedV will appean` together as by riveting or welding, so as to provide a rigid structure of a size to permitits deposit into and removal from the casing 60, and which at the same time,

. isrsturdy enough to support the heaviest golfer standingy thereon. v

As shown in thedrawings, a stance mat 82 of rubber k or the like, is positioned atop plate 76, and preferably extendstherebeyond as'light distance in all directions.

Formed in said mat 'is a first circular opening y84, and

asecond larger circular opening 86, forfreasons to appearbelow.

Th'enormal position of the various elements included in -thefmechanism 16 is portrayed in Figs. 2 and'3.. With particular reference to Fig. 3, it is seeen that said'rnech- Patented June 21, k19255 1 6 is enclosed in a rectangular casingY treated wood construction, and openl anism includes a generally horizontally disposed J-shaped lever SS pivotally connected at one end to a bracket which is rigidly secured to the underside of top plate 76. Thefree end of said lever is bifurcated at 92 to receive a wrist pin 94 rigid with a hollow piston member 96, the latter reciprocable in the vertically disposed cylinder portion 98 of a light weight casting generally designated 100.

As clearly shown in Fig. 5, said casting is rigidly secured to and depends from the top plate 76; and with reference also to Figs. 3 and 6, said casting is shown to have formed in the cylinder portion 98 thereof, a rst vertical slot 102 `for accommodating the lever 88.

The casting includes an angularly upwardly inclined cylindrical sleeve extension 104 adapted to receive the end segment of the ball discharge portion 50 of chute 34, as demonstrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It is here noted that the extension 104 projects through the opening 66 in wall 64 of the casing 60.

Casting 100 is further provided with a second vertical slot 106, formed in the lower portion of cylinder 98 diametrically opposite slot 102. As best seen in Fig. 6, a dat laterally projecting ilange 108 is formed integral with the cylinder in the region of slot 106.

Numeral 110 designates a cup shade member, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the lever 88, and adapted to loosely receive the rounded lower extremity of a rod 112. Said rod is unattached, and passes freely through the opening 84 in the stance mat, and through a hollow boss 114 depending from the underside of the top plate 76. The upper end of said rod is provided with a pedal 116.

Numeral 118 indicates a conventional snubbing device ot the dashpot type, which is interposed between the lever S8 and the top plate 76, as shown. The depending piston rod of the dashpot has a pin and slot connection 120 with lever 88, and a tension spring 122 has one end anchored to the top plate, and its other end connected to said lever.

Pivotally mounted on the lateral extension 108 is a f lever 132, one arm 134 of which extends through slot 1116 into cylinder 93, and the other arm 136 of which projects beyond the extension 108, as shown.

Pivotally connected at its lower end to arm 134 as indicated at 138, is a rst vertically reciprocable rod 140. Similarly connected to arm 136 is a second vertically reciprocable rod 142. The upper end portions of these rods extend freely through spaced openings 144 provided in a boss 146 depending from and integral with sleeve 104. The spacing of said openings, and consequently that of said rods, is approximately equal to the diameter of a golf ball. The rod 142 has a collar 148 rigid therewith, and interposed about said rod between said collar and boss 146 is a compression spring 150.

When the apparatus has been installed for use, the ball feeding unit 14 is supported primarily by the rods 56, the lower ends of which are embedded in ground 18. Additional support for said unit is provided by the intercngagement of chute 34 with the rigid extension 104 of casting 100, as should be manifest.

Assuming now as is understood, that it is desirable to mow the grass about the installation, the feed unit 14 and its supporting rods 56 may lirst be removed; then the T assembly 124 via opening 86; and linally the pedalcapped rod 112. Following the mowing operation, these Cil elements are again positioned so as to assume the relationship portrayed in Figs. l, 2 and 3, as should be apparent.

Operation Although the manner in which the invention operatesr demonstrated in Fig. 8.

lt is noted that the size of opening 42 is important, in that it obviates jamming, yet permits only one ball at a time to drop therethrough. When the tirst ball to drop through said opening is delivered to the extension 104, its travel is arrested by the rod 140, as is clear from an inspection of Fig. 3. Rod is normally maintained in its upper position by the compression spring 150, as should be obvious.

The tension spring 122 normally biases the lever 88 upwardly, the upward movement of the latter being limited by the upper end of slot 102, whereby the upstroke of piston 96 is also limited, as should be manifest.

A golfer in position on stance mat 82 may now depress rod 112 by the application of foot pressure to pedal 116, whereby the free end portion of lever 88 will swing downwardly about its pivotal connection, the downward movement thereof being arrested when it strikes against the transverse bar 80, as demonstrated in Fig. 4. Obviously, with this arrangement, the downstroke of piston 96 is thus also limited, so that the tee assembly 124 carried thereby is in position for the reception of a golf ball.

That is to say, when the lever 88 reaches the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 4, the internally beveled upper edge portion of support 126 is in proper position to receive the heretofore arrested leading golf ball 40 rolling ther-conto from extension 104.

ln other words, as the piston 96 descends, its lower edge tension 104 as the upper extremity of the second rod 142 enters therein, as should be clear from a. comparison of Figs. 3 and 4. Thus only the leading ball 40 will roll onto and come to rest atop support 126, whereupon thenext succeeding ball becomes the leading one for the next cycle,

as should be evident.

As soon as the lever 88 strikes abutment bar S0, the golfer removes his foot from pedal 116, whereupon spring 122, which was extended by the downward movement of said lever, contracts to return the latter to its normal, or Fig. 3 position. The interposition of the dashpot unit 118 suiciently retards this upward movement of lever 88 to obviate displacement of ball 40 during the upward travel of piston 96.'

After the golf ball 40, now in the position depicted in Fig. 2 and 3, has been driven into space, pedal 116 is repeatedly depressed for a repetition of the cycle, until all of the balls originally deposited in hopper 20 have been delivered, teed, and driven, as is understood.

From the foregoing description augmented by the draw-A ings, it is believed that the instant invention provides means for attaining its objectives in a highly eilicient, yet simple manner.

It is to be understood that the embodiment illustrated and described may be modied in some respects, without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention, the scope of which is limited only by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

described including a frame, a top cover plate for the frame, a J-shaped lever pivotally mounted at one end on the cover plate and operatively connected at its 0pposite end with a vertically movable tee assembly, said lever being normally biased upwardly by a tension spring: the combination with said lever of a cup-shaped member rigidly secured thereto intermediate the pivotally mounted and the opposite end thereof; a removable rod having a rounded lower extremity for loosely engaging the inner periphery of the cup-shaped member; a guide member in the form of a hollow boss depending from said cover plate for slidably supporting said rod; and a pedal on the upper end of the rod for the application of pressure whereby to move said lever downwardly about its pivotal mounting against the upwardly biasing force of said spring. y

2. In an underground teeing apparatus of the character described including a frame, a top cover plate forrthe frame, a J-shaped lever pivotally mounted at one end on the cover plate and operatively connected at its opposite end with a vertically movable tee assembly, said lever being normally biased upwardly by a tension spring: the combination with said lever of a cup-shaped member rigidly secured thereto intermediate the pivotally mounted and the opposite end thereof; a removable rod having a 'Y rounded lower extremity for loosely engaging the inner peripheryof the cup-shaped member; a guide member in the formof a hollow boss depending from said cover plate for slidably supporting said rod; av pedal on the upper end t of the rod for the application of pressure whereby to move said lever downwardly about its pivotal mounting against theupwardly biasing force of said spring, an abutment to limit the downward movement of said lever, and an abut ment to limit the upward movement thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED t STATES PATENTS 2,273,059 Mozel i VFeb. 17, 

